Open side-bar Menu
 ArchShowcase
Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination.

St. Horto in Rome, Italy by OFL Architecture

 
January 3rd, 2013 by Sumit Singhal

Article source: OFL Architecture

The project stems from the idea of creating a perfect synergy between architecture, nature and social technologies Jardimpu (Arduino and Paraimpu).

The name “St. Horto” is a pun, between Italian and English language. The two words “Horto” and “St” give at the same time the idea of a sacred, intimate garden and of something crooked, apparently disordered but full of life, just like a plant. Together they represent the irregular geometry (crooked or oblique) but highly controlled architectural design of the garden.

Image Courtesy OFL Architecture

  • Architects: OFL Architecture
  • Project: St. Horto
  • Location: Rome, Italy
  • Architecture and Landscape Design: OFL Architecture (Francesco Lipari, Vanessa Todaro, Federico Giacomarra)
  • Team: Mitchell Joachim (Consultant for Sustainability), Alberto Serra (Technology Strategies), Nicola Corona (Cultivation Cycle), DOF Engineers – Felice Allievi (Engineering)
  • Client: Lanificio 159
  • Area: 200 sqm
  • Year: 2012
  • Software used: Rhino, 3dS Max and V-ray

Image Courtesy OFL Architecture

St. Horto fits perfectly within the project area and at the same time it redefines the boundaries through a game of compressions and expansions creating  a dynamic and attractive space. The concept comes to life from the observation of spinning methods: mechanical (woolen mill) and manual (spindle or mistaff).

These two elements have been reinterpreted and incorporated into the project and represented by wooden poles and ropes of white canvas. The triangular tanks containing the real garden are obtained by the repetition of three modules, which in combination create endless compositions.

Image Courtesy OFL Architecture

In line with the Lanificio’s inner cultural activities, we have chosen to adopt this geometry by the analogy with various forms of art: painting, drawing, music, cinema.

The architecture plays a fundamental role: spaces which are asymmetric but proportionate, uneven but harmonic, create unusual tactile, olfactory and visual perspectives designed to facilitate a complete and suitable experience for children.

Image Courtesy OFL Architecture

The access to the garden is on the west side of the roof, in front of the entrance to the terrace.

From here you can immerge yourself in a space characterized by a succession of energetic triangulations, full and empty, which follow one another along a path of particular educational functions.

The innovative feature of St. Horto is definitely its integration with the 2.0 technology through a customized project.

Image Courtesy OFL Architecture

Inspired by other projects of interactive gardens with sensors and thanks to the direct experience of Alberto Serra, creator of Jardimpu, it was decided to install a technology allowing realtime monitoring of the growing plants in the garden, through the use of hardware tools (Arduino with sensors and webcam) and software.

In three particular points of the garden, we use steel cables which become veritable harp instruments.

Image Courtesy OFL Architecture

The St. Horto project combines four inseparable factors among them: functionality, aesthetics, production and teaching. The production is essential in the designed layout. Inside the tanks the usable area for cultivation is 115 square meters (flexible for future expansions) and is therefore enough for a real farming production, not only purely educational/disciplinary.

Image Courtesy OFL Architecture

Image Courtesy OFL Architecture

Image Courtesy OFL Architecture

Image Courtesy OFL Architecture

Image Courtesy OFL Architecture

Image Courtesy OFL Architecture

Tags: ,

Categories: 3dS Max, Garden, Landscape, Rhino, V-Ray




© 2024 Internet Business Systems, Inc.
670 Aberdeen Way, Milpitas, CA 95035
+1 (408) 882-6554 — Contact Us, or visit our other sites:
TechJobsCafe - Technical Jobs and Resumes EDACafe - Electronic Design Automation GISCafe - Geographical Information Services  MCADCafe - Mechanical Design and Engineering ShareCG - Share Computer Graphic (CG) Animation, 3D Art and 3D Models
  Privacy PolicyAdvertise